Agriculture sector dips 1.7% in 2021

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s agriculture sector fell by 1.7 percent in 2021, mainly driven by declines in the livestock sector.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the value of production in local agriculture inched up to P495.5 billion in the last quarter of 2021 rom P492.8 billion in the same period in 2020.

This is the first increase from the four consecutive quarters of declines in the value of agricultural output.

However, the total value of production in local agriculture for 2021 dropped to P1.76 trillion from P1.79 trillion.

The livestock sector led the decline in the fourth quarter, registering a 9.7 percent drop, which accounted for 13.8 percent of the country’s total value of agricultural production.

For the entire year, the livestock sector reported a 17 percent decline.

PSA data showed that hog production continued to drop, but at a slower pace in the fourth quarter by 12.6 percent.

In contrast, production of carabao, goat and dairy posted increments in the fourth quarter, with carabao registering the highest growth at 5.8 percent.

Meanwhile, the poultry sector posted the highest growth in the fourth quarter at 2.7 percent. This accounted for 12.5 percent of the total value of agricultural production.

For the full year, however, the poultry sector posted a 0.3 percent decline, lower than the 3.5 percent decline a year ago.

Chicken eggs led the growth at 12.7 percent, while chicken, duck and duck eggs posted declines in the fourth quarter.

The crops sector, which accounted for 59.1 percent of the total value of agricultural production, reported a 2.3 percent growth.

Corn led the growth with a 28.6 percent increase in production, a reversal of the 18.6 percent decline in the previous quarter.

For the entire year, corn production grew 2.1 percent.

The fisheries sector, which contributed 14.6 percent to the total value of agricultural production, increased by 0.1 percent. Blue crab or alimasag posted the highest growth at 33.1 percent from a 20.1 percent decline in the previous year.

In a statement yesterday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) pointed out that despite mobility restrictions due to the pandemic and the damage caused by Typhoon Odette, the country’s palay production registered an all-time high of 19.96 million metric tons, 3.4 percent more than the previous record of 19.29 million MT.

The figure, however, is lower than the DA’s target of 20.4 million MT for the year.

“We would have easily breached the 20-million-ton level as Typhoon Odette damaged more than 130,000 metric tons of palay,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

“Nonetheless, it shows that we are on the right track in our continuing efforts to increase the production of our major staples, in partnership with millions of our farmers, fishers, livestock and poultry raisers, local government units, private sector and agri-fishery industry stakeholders,” he said.

Dar stressed that the DA has been relentless in implementing its programs aimed at attaining food security.

“These include massive promotion among farmers, fishers and entrepreneurs of relevant, efficient and sustainable technologies and innovations, and providing them needed capacities through technical, farm mechanization and consolidation, financial and marketing assistance,” Dar said.

“Overall, we will remain focused in the implementation of our planned programs and projects in the remaining months of the Duterte administration, as we bequeath a solid foundation and legacy to the succeeding leadership,” he said.